A recent Pentagon investigation has criticized U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth for using the Signal app on his personal device to share sensitive information regarding planned strikes in Yemen, posing potential risks to U.S. troops if intercepted, as reported by two sources familiar with the matter to Reuters. The Pentagon’s independent inspector general report did not address whether the information Hegseth shared was classified at the time, recognizing his authority as the Pentagon head to determine classification levels.
Lawmakers received the review and had the opportunity to examine the report in a secure facility at the Capitol. A redacted version of the report is anticipated to be made public later this week. The Pentagon, in a statement, mentioned that the review vindicated Hegseth, a sentiment echoed by the defense secretary on social media, asserting there was no disclosure of classified information.
President Donald Trump has expressed support for Hegseth, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, emphasizing that the investigation confirmed no classified data leakage or compromise of operational security. The investigation revealed that Hegseth shared specific details of military operations in Yemen through Signal chats with select individuals, including exact timings of warplane launches and impending strikes.
The use of Signal by Hegseth came to light when a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, was unintentionally added to a Signal chat discussing military operations against the Iran-backed Houthis. The chat details were later revealed in an article by Goldberg after he was accused of exaggeration by Trump administration officials, who subsequently published chat screenshots to substantiate his claims.
Hegseth’s involvement in sharing operational details before military actions has raised legal concerns, especially in light of ongoing investigations into deadly U.S. strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean. The scrutiny intensified after reports of a follow-up strike in the Caribbean Sea resulting in casualties, following Hegseth’s order to “kill everybody.” Hegseth justified the action as part of the uncertainties in warfare, emphasizing that he trusted the decision-making of the admiral in charge.
The inspector general’s report highlighted the classified nature of the information shared by Hegseth, emphasizing the potential risks to service members and mission integrity if intercepted. Despite Hegseth’s denial of sharing classified data and his decision not to participate in the inspector general’s interview, he defended his actions by claiming the authority to declassify information as he saw fit and denied posing any operational risks.
The timing and targeting details shared by Hegseth through Signal have raised concerns among Democrats and former officials, as such information is typically closely guarded before military campaigns. While there were fears that advance knowledge of strikes could lead to evasive actions by Houthi leaders, potentially increasing civilian casualties, the investigation did not find explicit threats to U.S. troops or specific targeting details in the shared messages.